Where Will Vaughn Go?

Notebook

October 5, 1998

HIS SEASON over, Boston first baseman Mo Vaughn must now determine where he'll spend the rest of his playing career. The Red Sox lost their American League division series to Cleveland on Saturday, leading to speculation that Vaughn, a free agent-to-be, has played his final game with the team.

Vaughn, 30, continually dodged questions about where he expects to play next year and beyond. If he were this nimble on the bases, Red Sox Manager Jimy Williams wouldn't have lifted him for a pinch-runner in the eighth inning.

``It'll take its course in time,'' Vaughn said. ``I'm not going to stand here and say I know what's going to happen. I'm just going home to get some sleep, man. It's been a long, hard-driven year.''

WOOD LOOKS LIKE TOP NL ROOKIE

WHO SHOULD be the Rookie of the Year in the National League? Pitcher Kerry Wood of the Chicago Cubs or first baseman Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies?

Obviously, both are deserving, but Wood did something this year that only one other player has ever done - striking out 20 batters in a game. He also finished an abbreviated season ranked third in the league with 233 strikeouts.

Helton had an outstanding season, but Wood's 20K one-hitter might have been the most spectacular single-game pitching performance in the sport's history.

DIAMONDBACKS MULL MOVES

THERE HAS been speculation that the Arizona Diamondbacks will make a big play for free-agent catcher Mike Piazza, but the organization might be coming to the realization that it makes little sense to spend that much on a player that might - just might - make them a .500 team.

Manager Buck Showalter favors Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams, but even he might be too expensive. The team that fueled baseball's salary spiral by giving over-market contracts to several free agents last year is expected to show much more restraint this winter, though owner Jerry Colangelo still has plenty of money to spend.

If the D-backs concentrate on one big-name free agent, it might be Randy Johnson, who would figure to take a little less to play near home.

COMPARING RBI TOTALS

KEN GRIFFEY Jr. (433), Juan Gonzalez (432) and Andres Galarraga (411) have surpassed 400 RBI for the last three seasons (a 133.3 average). Vern Stephens of the Boston Red Sox was the last to do so from 1948-50. These great players never had even one 133-RBI season: Mike Schmidt (121 was his high), Yogi Berra (125), Mickey Mantle (130), Stan Musial (131) and Hank Aaron (132).